


Bargains, Past and Present

by dimircharmer



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: And he walks away, Angst, Conversations, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, hurt/comfort if you have a very liberal definition of the 'comfort' part of the equation, repercussions of deals with demons, set in and around the 40s episode wise, talking heads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 13:26:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8210194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimircharmer/pseuds/dimircharmer
Summary: “When you made your deal,” Vax started, “With your thing. How did you know?”Percy took a moment to stare at Vax for a moment, perched on the only mostly real table of Scanlan’s mansion. Deep purple circles ringed under his eyes, his hair was greasy, despite having spent the last few days in a mansion with access to endless hot water and soap.“I get the feeling, you know,” Percy said delicately, “That this conversation is not actually about me.”-Or, Vax seeks out Percy for some advice for the newly indebted.





	

“Are you here to punch me again? Because while I can’t deny that I deserve it, I would highly recommend that you let me put down this vial of solvent before taking any action that might knock it across the both of us.”

Vax didn’t move, though the feathers trimming the neckline of his armour seemed to ruffle in offense.

“Yes, I see you there,” Percy said, “Although damned if I know how long you’ve been in my workshop, so you may take that as a victory at least. Congratulations.”

Vax continued to stare into the forge behind Percy.

“Well?” Percy asked.

“When you made your deal,” Vax started, “With your thing. How did you know?”

Percy blinked once in surprise. “You know,” he says, as he set down his tongs, and pulled his gloves off, setting them atop a shelf. “It’s been a while since you’ve questioned my judgement in that particular area.”

“Answer the question, De Rolo.” Vax said, still staring into the forge.

“I didn’t.” Percy says, “You know I didn’t. In all honesty, I hadn’t even begun to suspect until that dinner with the Briarwoods. Even in Stillben, I didn’t get close enough to Anna for whatever I was carrying to-“ he waved a hand, absently, and a curl of smoke wafts off into the workshop, darker than the usual flames of the forge. “And as I’ve said- I’m just manifesting scars, now. Whatever sliver of Orthax I had taken in has long since been exorcized from wherever it had nested.”

“But you suspected,” Vax pressed, “Right? You can’t make a deal and not know it in the making. Can you?”

Percy took a moment to stare at Vax for a moment, perched on the only mostly real table of Scanlan’s mansion. Deep purple circles ringed under his eyes, his hair was greasy, despite having spent the last few days in a mansion with access to endless hot water and soap.

“I get the feeling, you know,” Percy said delicately, “That this conversation is not actually about me.”

“This conversation,” Vax replied, cold, “is entirely your fault and I will ask whatever questions I damn well please. Did you know, Percival?”

Well, Percy could hardly argue with that.

“Maybe?” Percy said, “I honestly don’t remember that much about it. I believe I felt different afterwards- I had spent some years as a nobody before Orthax sought me out. I certainly didn’t go looking for it. I’m not sure I really understood what the consequences of the deal I made were until years after the fact. Neither will you, I suspect.”

Vax scoffed, and rubbed at his face with one hand, and then both, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes.

“Vax, have you been sleeping?” Percy asked.

“None of your business, Percival.” Vax replied coldly.

“I only ask because you have the look of a man who’s been having nightmares.” Percy said, and took a step closer, “And I would very much like to know if I am merely projecting or if I should be feeling even guiltier than I already am.”

Vax was silent, for a long long moment, as the forge slowly cooled behind them. Then, in a voice half ruined from exhaustion and fear, he said, “She’s been speaking to me, Percival.”

“Ah.”

"Did yours- did Orthax ever speak to you?"

"Yes," Percy said simply, "and it was godawful every time. Smoke, and blood and the constant reminder of why I made he deal in the first place. I don't think I slept a single night's good sleep the entire duration of our time in Whitestone."

He rubbed his hands on a cloth tucked in his smithing apron. "That was not as reassuring as I would have liked it to be. Does she speak with you?"

Vax looked away again, even further from Percy’s gaze. “Every fucking night, there’s feathers and darkness and I don’t know what else, and she’s right there I can feel her lurking all the time and I don’t know what she wants from me.”

“I don’t know, I’m afraid.” Percy said, and he had never wished a confession to be false more in his life. “My deal was- not as all encompassing as yours, I think. Orthax is somewhat less powerful than the raven queen, you know. He just wanted souls. A servant, maybe. A vessel, perhaps. Likely, something from me in that vein once the contract had been completed- I’ll never be entirely certain what its intentions were, thankfully, but it was a service for a cost. I paid, I got, we renegotiated. I didn’t write him a blank check.”

“Lucky you.” Vax replied flatly. Percy winced.

“Vax’ildan,” Percy said, “Before we went into that temple, you told me something. That I had a family with you know, and I know I’m a right bastard for bringing it up after- well, after everything, but you should rather know that your offer goes the other way around too. You have a family with us, should you want it. And if you want us, after all this is over, we could, perhaps, find you a way out of this.”

Percy thought Vax flinched, for a moment, before he realised that the feather nape around the cloak itself had flattened away from his fingers- he had barely noticed he was reaching an arm over to lay it on Vax’s shoulder.

“I would greatly appreciate it,” Vax said, strained, “if you didn’t say that sort of shit where I can hear it.”

“Ah.” Percy said, and pulled his hand back. They sat there a moment, and Percy watched and for the first time saw that the runes wrapping around the death walker’s ward had faded nearly entirely from the leather. He very carefully did not think about where the magical power of the armour might be stored now. Eventually, Vax shifts, and turns to face him.

“Percival,” Vax said, and for the first time in the conversation he looks up and makes eye contact with Percy, “Was it worth it?”

Percy paused. “Well- that’s rather the devil with deals like these, you know,” He said. “They’re always worth it. That’s why we make them.”

Vax snorts, and pushes off the table. “Goodnight Percival.”

Before Percy can get another word out, Vax had slipped out the door and down the hallway. Percy, still clutching his gloves, and called “Goodnight, Vax’ildan,” under his breath towards the empty hall.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't actually caught all the way up, but I really needed to write this conversation. Please do not comment about anything that happens post episode 50, I don't actually care if this conversation eventually happens in canon, I wanted to write it anyway.


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